Digital BW, The Print

For those now using the Epson 2400, which I am, I wonder how you 
are "calibrating" a screen preview for the Advanced BW mode  (I do 
not print color). I ask particularly because so many have reported 
print results so close to the screen view.  I have hobbled together a 
system that has been pretty good, but is not perfect.  This involves 
the following.  

With a calibrated monitor display (5000K and 2.2) I matched the EEM 
print to the monitor by tweaking the sliders in the ABW driver.  I 
then matched the Epson Velvet FA print to the EEM print by tweaking 
the ABW sliders in the "profile" for that paper (EVFA).  I view the 
screen image in Photoshop (CS2) in Soft Proof mode with a dot gain of 
30% (I would think less for glossy papers) and "Preserve Numbers" 
checked.  This "calibration" was done with a number of photographs, 
as well as a grayscale.  This allows me to view the photograph on 
screen, proof on EEM and do a final print on VFA. 

The match between screen, EEM print and EVFA is remarkably good over 
a number of images.  The process does not account for differences in 
white color, but I have learned to judge--fairly well--the final 
print from the screen.  The VFA print is going to be a hair lighter 
and a hair less contrasty that what I see on the screen.  I seem to 
be doing about 3-5 EEF proofs and 2-3 on the VFA to get the final VFA 
print right.

What are others doing about this issue (a Soft Proof profile for the 
ABW mode) and what do you think of my process?  Can the 3-5 and 2-3 
be improved upon?  Is the Epson ABW driver not, essentially, a do-it-
yourself RIP?

Incidentally, I find the blacks (and the rest of the print) on VFA to 
be beautiful, deep and wonderfully photographic.  The very deep 
blacks on EEM, however, show "mottling" (bronzing or differences in 
reflectivity?) that would make them unusable for final prints.

Any input would be much appreciated.

Walt